From postal workers to VA doctors, we’ve had the pleasure of helping many federal government employees reach retirement. The first thing most of those folks want to know is at what age can they retire. So, what is the federal retirement age? Is it the conventional age of 65?
Planning the next chapter of your life is an exciting experience. But there’s a good chance you’re worried about at least one thing: health care. Consider that a PricewaterhouseCoopers financial wellness survey consistently found health care costs as one of the biggest concerns about retirement among all age groups.
Market downturns are emotionally challenging for most investors. Seeing multiple down days can make you feel as if the market will never recover. After all, psychological research has shown people tend to feel the pain of a financial loss twice as intensively as the pleasure of a gain.
By helping people get the most from their AT&T retirement benefits, we tend to focus on the things we can control. How much to save in the AT&T 401(k) plan. What funds to invest in. Which pension to choose – lump sum or monthly annuity. What about the things we can’t control?
For some people, the road to a comfortable and secure retirement leads them toward buying an annuity. These insurance products are heavily marketed for attractive features, such as income for life and protection from market declines.
Bonds are kind of the “rocket science” of the investment world. They can be relatively complex, coming in the form of different maturities, coupons, yields, qualities and durations from a variety of issuers. Again, rocket science.
The Thrift Savings Plan, or “TSP,” can often seem like an underrated part of the FERS program. Compared to the FERS pension, it may feel less valuable. In fact, your TSP can be the difference in achieving the retirement you’ve always wanted.
A Roth IRA provides several advantages in retirement when you start to use your savings for income. And, transferring funds from your traditional individual retirement account to a Roth IRA is often a terrific tax strategy.
Financial goals are never-ending. No matter your age or level of happiness, there’s always something you would like to use your hard-earned money for.
As a married couple, part of creating a secure financial future involves planning around the unfortunate passing of the other. Just imagine if your spouse has to take control of the household’s finances without knowing what funds are rightly owed to him or her.
